Destiny's Force
by Palyername
Summary: No one told him it would turn out like this when he found her all those years ago. Now that destiny's wheels have begun to turn once more, his once-peaceful life is thrown into unprecedented turmoil. Can he rescue the ones he had sworn to protect before they meet their demise? (Please read and review. It is much appreciated.)
1. Chapter 1

Prologue:

The sun began its nightly hibernation beneath the ocean's distant horizon on yet another peaceful evening. The orange-pink hues gradating the canvas sky above was soon dappled in a plethora of bright stars, each twinkling its greetings upon the tiny island system of Destiny Islands.

Destiny Islands was certainly a tranquil place, inhabited by countless content citizens isolated from the remainder of an oceanic world. Nothing out of the norm ever dared to occur, which suited seven-year-old Taiyou just fine. As the mayor's only child, he found he had his father's talent of accepting this serenity rather than its dangerous alternative. Although he was alone a majority of the time due to his working family and the island's playing children he kept a distance from, he relished such solitude. He could take his time to enjoy such wondrous scenes as this, as he traipsed along the main island's sandy shore, listening to gentle tides lapping at his sandaled feet. Cooling, salty breezes enveloped him as he continued his nightly stroll.

Nothing out of the norm would ever dare to occur on this peaceful island; such an ironic mantra to have as Taiyou's life was seconds away from changing.

The boy halted abruptly in his tracks as he noticed a small lump not very far from his position, lying on the sandy border meeting the water. Was it a pile of debris, washed in from a long journey upon the sea, or something else entirely? Taiyou wanted to leave it alone, but his curiosity overtook him, causing him to carefully approach said enigma.

His eyes started to identify this mystery, and panic rose within him as soon as he realized. A girl, unconscious, appearing smaller and younger than Taiyou, lied upon the sand. He dashed to her side as quickly as his legs could carry him, winding up clumsily sliding along the ground at the end of his run. The boy attempted nudging the girl to rouse her, but she did not stir. Lifting his upper body from the ground, he flipped her over to face the ever-darkening sky, studying her features carefully in an endeavor to recognize her.

Her ruby-red hair was lengthened as far as her chin, mussed due to her obvious hardship. Such an even, youthful face she had, it could've been coveted by most who weren't too busy admiring her. Her petite mouth was left agape as she breathed lightly as if in simple slumber. It was clear to him she did not originate from the main island, and the satellite island a short boat ride away had no people, aside from a few children who voyaged over to play from time to time. Who was this stranger, and where did she come from?

A faint flash of light captured Taiyou's attention, illuminating the girl's neck. Her simple necklace's white charm glowed weakly, gently fading away as he stared. Whether it happened to be his imagination fabricating strange illusions or some foreign power like magic, one thing was certain to Taiyou: this was no ordinary girl he stumbled upon.

Suddenly, the girl stirred in his arms.

"H-hey, are you okay?" Taiyou's words stumbled out. Her indigo eyes slowly opened, gazing at his face in a daze.

"Where...am I?" she wondered in a meek, hoarse voice. The boy's heart pounded in his ears as the seconds dragged on.

"We're on Destiny Islands. Where did you come from?"

"I...my home..." All of a sudden, tears began to flow from her eyes as sobs escaped her lips. "G-Grandma..."

Alarmed, Taiyou was confused as to how he could properly handle this situation; he rarely associated with others around his age.

"Don't...don't cry! I'm going to get you some help." Because he was rather small, he struggled to hoist the girl onto his back to carry. "Hold on to me, okay?"

At the girl's weak nod, he briskly scurried up the slippery hill of sand to a brick path, darting along until he reached his home atop another steep slope.

After he opened the door to his house, the events that followed hurried past in a blur: his mother and father dashed in when he shouted in the doorway, the girl was taken from him to another room, and he was dismissed to his own bedroom upstairs to wait.

Sitting against the windowpane adjacent to his bed, staring out at the night sky, Taiyou commenced thinking deeply about the events which occurred just moments ago. The more time he was given to reflect, the worse he felt about it all. Whatever his parents decided to rule, he had a crushing feeling his peaceful life had ended abruptly. Such a mysterious person entering his life without warning...what lied in store for his once-set future?

A sea of stars twinkling down at him, as if in reassurance. Silently, he thanked them for being there for him, no matter if he could see them or not. One star, blinking far more than the others, caught his eye like the girl's necklace had. Was it going to wane as well? As if his question were being answered, the light of that single star flashed once and vanished immediately. Did he just witness a star's demise, or was it something more...?

A rhythmic knock sounded against his door, startling him away from his thoughts.

"Taiyou, please come down to the den," his mother's gentle voice requested, muffled by the door. Curious, he followed his mother's instructions and made his way down the staircase to his home's gathering room, where he found his father, mother, and the girl sitting in chairs around the fireplace next to the room's open entrance. His mother was soothingly rubbing the girl's back in order to comfort her. The girl was staring down, her hands nervously resting upon her knees. Taiyou's mayoral father stood up from his seat, gesturing to the girl as he looked to his son with firm, dark eyes.

"This is Kairi. Due to the shock of whatever has brought her here, her memory is in pieces. Since she has nowhere else to go, your mother and I have decided to raise her in our home as our daughter," he declared, his tone resolute, fitting for a politician.

Taiyou's eyes were glued to the girl. She was a complete stranger, brought here by fate and cursed with memory loss? It made the boy feel rather uncomfortable, especially due to his isolated lifestyle. He had never shared his home with another child, either. However, as all of his excuses would only be seen as whining or complaining, he simply nodded in agreement.

"I understand," was his reluctant reply.

After a few more words were exchanged, Kairi was escorted to the guest bedroom next to Taiyou's by his mother. His father, remaining on his feet, appeared to have more business with Taiyou, causing him to reluctantly stay behind.

"Son, I have a very important job for you." At this sentence, Taiyou felt happiness swelling up within him. He enjoyed being able to aid his family. After seeing his son's reaction, he continued. "Kairi is quite shaken by what has happened to her, and you were the very first person she met here. I need you to be her friend-no, her brother. You need to protect Kairi. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes," Taiyou acquiesced after a brief moment of hesitation. All of this was happening far too quickly for him to feel comfortable with it. Just an hour before, he was an only child, alone but content with his existence. Now he had to live and play with a girl he had only just met, be her brother...and defend her. His father's words were absolute. With such a heavy responsibility as his new burden, Taiyou had no choice but to adapt and wait for what this new uncertain future would bring.


	2. Destiny 1: Destiny Islands

Chapter 1: Destiny Islands

Taiyou, now undergoing his sixteenth year, stood solitarily on the mainland shore in the early dawn's silence. The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon of the beautiful sea, and the winds were carrying the tides along the sands as well as pulling the leaves of many trees with it. His short blonde hair stirred gently with the soft, chilly breeze of the morning. All was peaceful, as he so rarely had the chance to enjoy these past nine years.

"Taiyou!" came a voice from behind, disrupting the morning's beautiful spell. The boy turned at his name to find its familiar origin: the fourteen-year-old girl whose appearance so many years ago shook his world as he knew it. She had no relatives, no possessions, nowhere to go...so the mayor, Taiyou's father, offered her a place in their family, and since then she had taken up residence with him as his sister.

"Kairi, what're you doing up this early?" Taiyou inquired, raising his voice slightly to cast it over the closing distance. An answer didn't arrive until she came to a halt next to him, hands on her knees as she caught her breath.

"Is this where you sneak off to every morning?" Kairi huffed, looking upward at her adoptive brother.

"Yeah. The morning light is beautiful, isn't it? It's a good way to start off the day," Taiyou replied with a smile, eyes drawn to the captivating blue horizon lighting up as birds began to sing in the gradating sky above. Then he glanced back at her, tone changing. "But that doesn't answer my question."

"Well..." Kairi began, straightening her stance. "Sora and Riku will be here pretty soon so we can go to the island today."

"So early?"

"What? Don't sound so skeptical."

"I wouldn't have to if it were something that happened on a normal basis. But you guys never wake up this early."

"We just wanted to...you know..." The girl was practically squirming under her brother's watchful gaze, obviously thoughtlessly approaching her brother although she was meaning to keep their secret from him. Taiyou sighed.

"I know about the raft, Kairi." At this declaration, her eyes shot up, and she gave an apologetic smile.

"So we got found out, huh?"

"You weren't doing a very good job of hiding it. At least let Mom and Dad know if you've got something like this going on, okay? Don't make them worry so much." Of course, on said raft, Kairi and her two best friends-Sora and Riku-would be traveling into vastly open planes of water in search of their own definition of "other worlds" which may be lurking beyond the visual horizon. How many audacious stunts would they carry out before they were satisfied? It was difficult, being their responsible big brother, but for those adventurous teenagers, it felt worth it.

"They'd worry either way, huh?" Kairi shrugged.

"At least they wouldn't try to go on some frantic search, turning the islands upside down looking for you if you said something. Who knows, they may even support it." Taiyou's suggestion was met with hopeless sighs from both of them. The mayor and his wife were overly protective of their adopted daughter, and Taiyou was always the one to carry her troubles and responsibilities as his own in their parents' eyes. It was rather obvious this voyage would be utterly rejected.

Before any other words could be exchanged between the siblings, two figures came dashing toward them from the town path.

"Kairi! Hey!" one of them, a boy with a large grin plastered on his tanned face, called out, echoing across the open beach.

"You idiot, quiet down a bit, will you? Taiyou's with her," the other, a slightly taller silver-haired boy, scolded his companion as they approached. Rather quickly, the duo halted directly in front of Kairi and Taiyou.

"Yo, Taiyou! W-What're you doing out here so early?" the first boy inquired, obviously thrown off guard. Taiyou simply crossed his arms, an obvious indication to the trio of friends before him that they were in trouble.

"Sora, he knows about the raft already." Kairi's sheepish confession caused the boy to nervously scratch the back of his head. The second boy, Riku, glared on in defiance.

"Well, I don't see a problem with it," he protested, eyes fierce, as though preparing for a perilous battle.

"I can certainly point out several. However, I know once you make up your minds, there's no talking you out of anything. Just don't hide anything like this from me again, okay? You seem to get a kick out of making me worry about you guys," Taiyou clarified, ruffling the two boys' hair. Riku pushed Taiyou's hand away as he ducked out from beneath the older boy's reach; Sora decided to give in and allow the action.

"You just enjoy worrying too much, Taiyou," Riku snapped, crossing his arms. "But yeah, whatever. Let's just go, okay?"

With voiced agreement from Kairi and Sora, Riku led them to a dock, worn by years of use and now retired from its position as the island's main fishing port, where they would find their miniature boats, which were only able to carry two people at the maximum in each. Jumping into their vessels, the trio set off rowing toward the not-so-distant island. The other group of teenagers who spent a majority of their time there would surely not even think about setting sail until it was near afternoon, giving Sora, Kairi, and Riku free reign over their hangout for a few hours.

Taiyou watched them land safely along the other waiting dock before moving to his own small boat. As he set it free from the shore, he gazed at the seat ahead of him, reminiscing about the times Kairi would excitedly share this same dinghy when they were younger. She would repeatedly jump happily as they set sail, smiling with such a carefree air about her, running her hand through the water as they progressed toward the island, then returning once again to her exuberant bounce to restart the pattern once more. Taiyou felt his heart sink slightly in sadness-she no longer needed help as she did all those years ago to cross this distance, nor did she require her brother's watchful protection. How very lonely he felt...

Readjusting his darkly gray-framed glasses, he kept his eyes on the island ahead of him.

* * *

It was late into the afternoon. After much time spent watching the trio scurry around, racing and assigning tasks to complete for their impending journey, they all dispersed to tend to their own business. Taiyou watched Sora running errands to collect a meager amount of food for the journey, as Riku stood near the entrance of this secret cove only they utilized, watching the sea with his head in the clouds. Kairi awaited Sora's return on their beached raft, tying together thalasa shells to ensure a safe voyage, something Taiyou remembered telling her years ago when they would visit the fishing boat docks together.

The sixteen-year-old made his way to the island's main shore, where he found the other three teenagers who spent their days there: Wakka, the eldest who battled with his Blitz ball; Tidus, who was equal to Sora in strength and battle style; and Selphie, the girl of their group who could hold her own in a fight with her trusty jump rope. On this particular occasion, he happened to intrude on a three-on-one brawl against Sora, who seemed to be doing rather well, considering the circumstances. One by one, the fighters fell to Sora. Sheathing his wooden sword, he helped them up, all four panting for breath.

"Man, how could we all three lose against both Riku _and_ Sora?" Tidus pouted, shouting to the sky in frustration.

"He just got lucky!" Selphie declared, out of breath from the battle.

"Aw...that really _hurt_..." Wakka grimaced, crouching on the sand.

Sora appeared to be in just as much shock about his victory, still grasping the hilt of his makeshift weapon as he caught his breath.

"Wow...I can't believe I actually did it!" he murmured, smiling foolishly at his victory.

"You may have beaten all three of us, but it doesn't mean you're on Riku's level yet," Tidus stated, seemingly to chip away at Sora's smugness. Sora turned to face him, a glower plastered to his countenance.

"What are you guys up to?" Taiyou inquired, making his presence known to the brawlers.

"Oh, Taiyou! We took Riku on three-to-one last time we battled, and Tidus decided to challenge Sora in the same manner, but instead provoked him into fighting," Wakka explained, sending a chiding glance over to his younger friend. Tidus appeared surprised, transforming into sheepishness as he scratched the back of his head.

"It got the job done, didn't it?" he countered, refusing to meet anyone's eyes.

"As you can see, Sora won the bout," Selphie chimed in. "Although I can't see how."

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Sora demanded, taking a step toward her.

"Calm down, Sora. It just means you've gotten stronger than they thought," Taiyou commended him.

"You think so?" Sora smiled, mood improved.

"Hey, why don't _you_ fight, Taiyou?" Tidus pondered, eyes fixated on the older boy. Taiyou shook his head and nervously held his hands in front of him as if trying to hold something off.

"I...don't have anything against fighting or anything, but I'm not too good with the in-your-face thing. I'm better from the sidelines," he laughed apprehensively, hoping his answer would suffice. All of the teenagers on the island were rather well-versed in battle, with the exception of Taiyou and Kairi-as far as he knew. Taiyou was more of a do-gooder from an academic standpoint, all due to his parents' influence. Even after many years had already passed, he remained quite socially uncomfortable, and the thought of hitting anything was something he abhorred. By no means was he pacifistic, yet he was uneasy to be violent.

"That's no fun!" Selphie huffed, crossing her arms.

"Sorry..." Taiyou sighed. Then he noticed the sun lowering in the darkening sky. "Sora, don't you have a few more things you need to do?"

Sora was startled by this, realizing he had been lazing instead of running errands for Kairi. At this revelation, he dashed away.

"I totally forgot! Thanks, Taiyou!"

"What does _that_ mean?" Tidus asked confusedly as he watched his former opponent dart away.

"It's a secret," Taiyou replied ambiguously, walking away before the three could request more information on a subject Taiyou knew very little about himself.

Wandering away from any awkwardness born from his poor escape, Taiyou ventured up the wooden ramp toward a small, enclosed waterfall, halting only to take in this beautiful feature of the island. His grassy-green eyes widened as a menacing feeling swallowed him, the hairs on his slightly tanned skin standing directly on end. In his left ear, eerie, incomprehensible whispers skulked, alarming him to twist around toward the source: a small cave entrance nestled at the base of the giant tree holding most of the manmade walkways together, swathed with leaves to serve as a door. This was known as the Secret Place, a cavern he knew his three "siblings" enjoyed playing within since they were young. Taiyou always felt a sinister air emanating from within, resulting in his constant avoidance of it. However, never before had he been so enveloped, so drawn, to this place.

Curiosity conquered his better judgment, leading him to carefully lift the veiling leaves and hesitantly enter. Upon turning around within the dark tunnel after replacing the natural curtain, Taiyou was met with only darkness and a chill which drew horripilation on his skin-he wished his sleeveless green denim vest and white-and-black t-shirt provided more warmth...

Treading lightly, Taiyou stepped down the stone corridor, keeping his left hand firmly on the damp wall as he progressed as a precautionary measure; he didn't trust this place as the others did. The incoherent whispers only grew in intensity as he neared lit stone beyond the left turn ahead. As soon as he reached it, however, he noted things he had never known was within: white scribbles roughly etched upon the blue-gray surface of each stone, leaving very little empty space. Taiyou realized each of these sketches was respectively his three charges' dreamed adventures. It would only make sense the trio would endeavor their voyage, as their minds were constantly on exploits of wonder and excitement they would never know on these islands-the exact reverse of Taiyou's wishes of a peaceful life.

He shook his head-this was not the time for such thoughts. There was one item in the Secret Place which was cause for worry: a large wooden door with golden patterns impressed along the outer lining, the door itself imprinted into the stone cavern's wall opposite of the tunnel's end. Upon closer inspection, Taiyou noticed it lacked any method to open it. With no doorknob or keyhole, what was the purpose for such a thing, hidden away deep within a strange cavern?

Perhaps it could be pulled from the side to set it ajar? Tugging at its wooden edges, he realized the door was far too embedded in stone to be freed by Taiyou's strength, at the very least. His curiosity, which was usually rather suppressed, grew for what might lurk beyond the threshold. In frustration for his lack of progression, he touched his forehead to the door.

What happened as soon as contact was made was something the boy was completely unprepared for.

Black, amorphous masses were an ocean of darkness endeavoring an unorganized climb onto a craggy ledge in an obscure world, edging further from Taiyou's line of vision. The whispering from earlier had transformed into a shrill chattering-so loud a din that one could not even focus on their own thoughts. The boy's eyes fixed on the murky sea, fear rising in his chest, something the shadows picked up on immediately. All at once, as if in a hive mind, the blobs twisted around to face him, yellow orbs serving as eyes glowing as a massive wall from such a bright blaze. Apprehension gripped his mind, a severe pressure in his head as his thoughts raced. The horde seemed to feed from this dark feeling, lunging forward to attack. Taiyou stumbled back, terrified.

The Secret Place's cold stone floor caught him as he landed. His breathing was unsteady gasps as his heart pounded in his chest. The chattering had ceased, but the whispers now persisted in their absence. Running a hand through his blonde hair, he stared at the door ahead of him. Was such a vision even possible? A sinister, chilling feeling ran a shiver down his spine at the memory of it. In a vain attempt to calm himself, Taiyou reassured himself it was simply a trick of this mysterious cavern-

But nothing could quell his unease.

* * *

As more time passed, the red sun began its nightly descent, painting white specks against the color-shifting sky. Staring up at it, Taiyou was reminded of the night he discovered Kairi. The winds and tides were nearly identical to that eventful night of fate, all with the exception of circumstances. This time, there were others sharing a beautiful shore with him, a new shore he would never have stepped foot on if not for his sister's arrival into his life. Now she sat beside Sora on the small boat dock on the far side of the beach, whispering their conversation for two. Feeling he might disturb them, Taiyou hastily retreated to the cove, where Riku worked on final details of their raft.

Said vessel had a simplistic design befitting a teenager-made craft: long logs stitched together by sturdy ropes, with a single timber serving as a mast in the center. An oversized cloth tied to the flagstaff provided a sail to the makeshift raft. A hefty duffel bag filled to the brim with their collected food supplies leaned against the pole.

"It's certainly coming along," Taiyou remarked, startling Riku to turn from his full inspection of the raft.

"I just hope it takes us where we want to go," the silver-haired boy responded, returning to his previous activity.

"Well, it isn't like this is your only option. You said it yourself yesterday: if it comes down to it, you'll think of something else."

"So you _do_ listen in on our conversations," Riku triumphantly declared, as if he had already known. "So it's bad if we eavesdrop, but if you do it, it's okay?"

"I never said that. I'm just trying to teach you things and help out-"

"You see that wide open ocean?" Riku interrupted suddenly, nodding out to the vast horizon the orange-red sun lowered behind as they spoke. "Out there, you won't be able to help us-we're going to be on our own. If you keep smothering us, how are we supposed to learn new things? I want to go out there, see different worlds, find answers to questions I've had for so long...it's nothing you'd understand."

Riku's words were sharp as knives in Taiyou's chest. It was a definite fact Taiyou was completely content with his life on Destiny Islands, as most of the other inhabitants could agree. But it was not his intention in the least to have kept the only ones who wanted to experience a new life from doing so. He could not help that he was this way, just as Riku could not help being so curious and wistful for a new horizon.

"I know," Taiyou concurred with a sigh, a small smile forced on his face. "I've held on to you three too tightly for all these years, but only because I wanted to prepare you for the very things you want to find. Do you think I wouldn't try to stop you just because you're so set on it? I haven't really objected to this idea, and it's because I do feel you need to see new worlds and go on adventures before you become like me and every other person on this island. You're daring, and I don't want you to change. It's what makes you who you are, after all."

Riku turned around to face the older boy, seeming to have expected something entirely different from his reaction to his harsh words. "So you're really okay with this? You're not going to try to stop us?"

"I'm not in love with the idea, but no, I won't try to stop you; it wouldn't make much difference anyway, right?" Taiyou joked, crossing his arms. Riku chuckled.

"No, I guess not."

"Never forget, all of this-these islands, this sea, this sky-will always be your home. You can always come back here. And if not the island, just consider _me_ the home you can always return to, okay?" Taiyou glanced at Riku with a grin, which Riku reciprocated.

"Yeah, yeah," he conceded, before adding softly, "Thanks, Taiyou."

After chatting idly about Riku's plans for the morrow's ventures, Taiyou noticed the sun was no longer lighting up the world, instead replaced by the moon and dozens of stars, which all appeared to twinkle normally, much to Taiyou's relief.

"Kairi and Sora have probably headed home by now," Riku noted thoughtfully, relaxing on the raft.

"And you didn't go with them? Don't you always go back together?" Taiyou pondered, slightly surprised at such a change.

"I have a few more things I need to take care of before we take off tomorrow-and a bit more thinking to do. What about you? Don't _you_ usually head home before it gets too dark?"

Taiyou simply shrugged. "I suppose one night isn't going to hurt anything. But you're right; I'm going to head out before everyone back home gets too worried. Don't stay out too late, all right, Riku?"

"It shouldn't take too long. Be careful on your way home."

As the duo gave their casual farewells, Taiyou made his way to the main shore. The island bore quite a different ambience than when there were plenty of presences abound: all the people, the sun casting its beams down upon them as they roamed about their days, intense heat from such a tropical atmosphere...now it all gave way to pale lights shimmering down upon cooling sand, breezes much colder in a lonely air, a creeping feeling of paranoia threatening anyone alone. Taiyou felt just that. The world seemed far slower as forlorn tides crawled onto crunching sand in a nearly-silent breath. This simply allowed the whispers from the Secret Place to find him as he ventured to his small boat, wishing it was merely his fear attempting to fool him once more.

Feeling a pair of eyes burning into his skin, he halted his cautious progression, quickly spinning around to face the origin: a figure fashioned in a dark brown cloak, covering every inch from head to toe, face completely masked by an oversized hood. The mysterious figure simply stared on from his position before the Secret Place. Who could it possibly be beneath the cowl...?

"Hey, what're you still doing here?" Taiyou's eyes darted to Riku, who had called out from under the wooden bridge leading to the Paopu tree island where he, Sora, and Kairi generally spent their evenings. Immediately, Taiyou glanced back at the Secret Place, only to find the mysterious cloaked figure had vanished. It could not have been able to duck away without any notice so swiftly, or even retreat into the cavern behind it, for that matter-not in such a miniscule time frame.

"I got a bit...distracted," Taiyou responded, almost hesitantly. "I thought I saw someone on the island."

"What, besides us? I think you're just being too paranoid."

"Just...be very careful. Whoever I saw, they didn't seem safe," Taiyou warned him gravely, although the boy shrugged it off.

"I'm pretty strong, if you haven't noticed. I'll be fine," he smirked confidently. Taiyou studied the younger boy for a moment. Even if he were to stay on the island with Riku, it would only complicate things for the latter, who wanted this time to be left alone to think. Besides, Riku seemed to make decent decisions, for the most part, so surely he would be okay?

"You're right. But please consider what I said. I'll see you later," Taiyou agreed, and with yet another nonchalant goodbye, closed the distance to his waiting vessel and set sail for home.

* * *

Taiyou was sixteen already-why did he have to always obey the strict curfew of before dark? He sat through a lecture from his father accompanied by a disappointed scolding presented by his mother before dinner, while Kairi, who was "forced to return home alone due to her brother's negligence" waited in her bedroom, most likely preparing for their trip at sunrise, which would definitely result in an even more dreadful harangue. His parents might never look at him the same way again for allowing such a voyage.

The only certainty for everyone was how different life would be after this night.

"Taiyou, go tell your sister it's time for dinner," his mother commanded as his father sat at the table with his watchful eyes burning holes into Taiyou as he slowly left the dining room to Kairi's room upstairs, sluggishly walking as he knew his parents were let down somewhat for something so trivial as being a little late.

Passing his room, he moved to the door just after, pausing only to knock as a warning of his intrusion before opening the door when met with silence.

"Kairi...?" Taiyou inquired as he peeked his head into the room, which had been personalized by Kairi to have whatever decorations, furniture, and baubles she could ever desire. The person in question, however, was climbing over her windowsill. "What are you doing?! Are you crazy?!"

He dashed over as quickly as he could and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her back in, consequently causing both to tumble to the floor, Kairi's fall cushioned by her brother.

"Taiyou? There's a storm over by the island, and I wanted to check on the raft-" Kairi claimed, standing up and offering her hand to Taiyou to help him to his feet, which he gratefully took. Once he was standing, he placed his hands lightly on Kairi's shoulders so she could not escape as he spoke.

"Trust me: the raft will be fine. Jumping from your second story window during a storm just to check on the raft won't really do you any good."

This time, Kairi's indigo eyes studied Taiyou's green ones carefully, a seriousness in them Taiyou rarely saw. Her reason must have borne more gravity than he initially realized.

"There's something out there-something dark. I can't just stand here and watch it all happen again!" Kairi avowed, grasping his wrists to remove his hands from her person.

"What do you mean, 'again'?" Taiyou probed, analyzing her eyes thoroughly. Then he noticed a small shine gleaming from her necklace, and the events of her discovery nine years ago revisited his mind. "This is the same thing that happened before you came here, isn't it? What happened?!"

"I...don't remember a lot...it's just that I feel the same thing from back then, and I keep seeing glimpses of something familiar," Kairi explained, doubtful of whether her visions bore truth. "I have found some weird things involving that island, though, and I have to get to the bottom of it. You have to let me do this, Taiyou!"

Her plea was enough to give Taiyou pause. Even in pieces, her memories were clearly more information than he could learn at the moment. If Kairi, who appeared confused yet certain, had indeed experienced events similar to this, and was correct about what would occur, then Destiny Islands may very well be lost without any of the innocent, content residents knowing a thing before it was far too late. All of the friends, family, neighbors...all of those people he had come to know and love could potentially meet an irreversible fate beyond any of their tunnel-vision imaginations.

"I can't believe I'm actually saying this..." Taiyou mumbled to himself, feeling uneasy about disobeying his parents yet again on a hunch. "If you're right-and that's a big if here-we can't just sit back and watch like this. If you have any ideas, tell me."

Kairi, somewhat astonished by her brother's unusual answer, stepped over to the window and pointed out to the island. "Whatever may happen, the island seems like it's the most likely center of it all. We have to get out there."

Taiyou contemplated his options for a moment. It didn't feel very real to him; the night seemed average for the island, although he had experienced bizarre incidences on the island all day. Perhaps it was all connected... His curiosity, generally kept in check, conquered his judgment, as he craved to research what was behind all of this.

With a reluctant nod of approval, the duo tied together Kairi's bed sheets, attached them to the windowsill, and descended to the ground, hurrying to their boats and crossing the black, brutal ocean to their island once more. Taiyou could not rid himself of the pit in his stomach as they journeyed farther from home, leaving their parents, and everything he had ever known, behind him.

 _Everything would change on this night._

Moments were hours as the two traversed a cold, dark sea, rough from a storm Taiyou had not gotten a decent view of. Now that he had a chance to witness it, it did not resemble a typical storm at all-instead, it was a black sphere, with what could be described as a murky energy misting about its orbit, a red and blue spectrum flashing within the core of the tempest. A malignant atmosphere accompanied this enigma, sending shudders through Taiyou's trembling body in fear of what it could mean. Kairi's theory was becoming more and more believable as they advanced toward the epicenter.

"Riku's boat is here," Kairi observed as they secured their vessels to the waiting pier. Taiyou stared at it in alarm. Why was he still on the island? Surely he had sensed something amiss, or noticed a giant power unlike any they'd ever seen looming above?

"Then we need to find him," Taiyou decided. Regardless of the fighting capabilities Riku might have possessed, this would most certainly be dangerous, although the full extent of the circumstances were unknown.

Kairi nodded, running ahead of her brother down to the sand. What greeted them petrified Taiyou.

From the darkness of the squall blocking the moon, shadows of nothing gained material form, sprouting from the sand into black, insect-like creatures with antennae and twitching bodies. Glowing yellow eyes ogled blankly at Taiyou and Kairi, as if their presences were prey they hunted. Those eyes...the very same ones from his vision in the Secret Place were now hungrily piercing through him.

His first thought was to get Kairi to safety. Grabbing her hand, he dashed toward the nearest building: a small shack which led to a stairway tunneling to the Paopu tree island's bridge. He practically threw Kairi into the hovel, slamming the weak wooden door behind him and resting against it to catch his breath.

"What are those things?" Kairi inquired, looking to her brother confusedly. She didn't seem as frightened of the creatures, but was still a bit shaken.

"What matters is that for now, we're safe. But Riku is still out there-could be fighting, could be cornered. I'm going out to find him, so stay here," Taiyou resolved unsteadily, very anxious regarding those monsters and all of the night's events thus far.

"I'm coming with you-" Kairi insisted, taking a step forward before being cut off by the sound of something pounding against the door in an attempt to break it open, before hearing rhythmic thumping across the busted roof, which quieted them both. Taiyou held his breath, feeling an intensity settle over the hut. The noise vanished as quickly as it appeared.

"Kairi, you need to stay here. I don't want to risk anything happening to you, okay?" he reasoned as soon as he found his voice again.

"Okay..." Kairi finally conceded. "Be careful out there, Taiyou."

With a tremulous nod, Taiyou dashed up the winding staircase leading to the wooden bridge to the Paopu tree, as he might receive a better view from atop such a high place. He opened the door and quickly stepped through, shutting it behind him as swiftly as he could manage. It was then he noticed numerous foes ahead of him on the viaduct, yet their attention was not concentrated on him, as he had worriedly expected; instead, their beady eyes rested upon a scene playing out before him on the special island:

Riku stood facing the bridge, his eyes cemented to Sora, who was opposite of him. Both seemed to be deep in tense conversation.

"There they are," Taiyou sighed, feeling relieved that the duo was safe. As he thought to take a step forward, he studied the spectacle. Judging by Riku's collected countenance, it occurred to Taiyou that all of this may not have been as coincidental as he may have thought. The fifteen-year-old knew something, and if Taiyou could manage to barrel past these creatures, he meant to learn just what it was.

"I'm not afraid of the darkness!" Riku proclaimed, as if boldly challenging its authority. And the darkness decided to answer his declaration directly.

Shadows surrounded his feet, spreading toward a confused Sora's position, attempting to devour both boys entirely.

"Sora! Riku!" Unable to carry his voice from fearful shock, Taiyou took a deep breath to muster enough courage to bolt past the monsters, yet as he ran, he discovered they sank back into the ground and scampered toward his friends faster than he could. His way was blocked as more and more joined the unspoken cause. At this rate, Sora and Riku would be completely consumed before he had a chance to do anything!

Taiyou's eyes stared at his friends in horror as Sora reached for Riku's outstretched hand, the darkness growing in intensity as it wound up their bodies. He had to do something, lest they both be lost. In a ditch effort, Taiyou rushed to them, reaching his hand forward in an endeavor to grab hold of something, _anything_. Seconds felt like hours as he inched closer and closer to Sora's back.

 _Almost_... _almost_...

A sudden burst of light blinded him as it emitted an earth-shaking shockwave which sent Taiyou flying back halfway across the bridge, landing on his back. Stunned, he lay staring at the storm sparking unusually above as pain flooded from his back to the rest of his body.

"Ow...what was that...?" his voice groaned as he sat upright and rubbed the back of his head gingerly. It was then his eyes locked on Sora, who stood solitarily holding something resembling a weapon of sorts.

 _Keyblade...Keyblade...Keyblade..._

A quiet voice whispered, echoing such bizarre words on the stormy winds.

Studying the scene further, Taiyou realized there was no sign of Riku at all. Panic rose within him as his thoughts sped around in his head for a plausible answer as to his whereabouts.

"Taiyou?!" Sora's shout jolted Taiyou out of his daze. His friend had raced to him, offering his hand to hoist him to his feet.

"Sora, where'd Riku go?" the older boy questioned, hoping for a proper explanation as to this impromptu disappearance. "He was right there!"

"I-I don't know! But right now, we've gotta find Kairi," his friend declared, determination overpowering his own trepidation. Taiyou stared at Sora in awe for a moment-his maturity in this situation made the older boy feel sheepish. This was no time to become flustered, regardless of the circumstances. Now was the time to act and think on it later.

"You're right," Taiyou acquiesced. "I left her in the shack, since those... _things_ didn't seem to be able to get in."

Taking a deep breath to pull himself together, he led Sora through the wooden door into the tunnel connected to Kairi's hiding place, but the duo were met with surprise as they entered, causing the older boy's panic to arise once more.

"Kairi?! Kairi, where are you?!" he called desperately, twisting around in case he missed her somewhere. "Oh no, no, no... I told her to stay put! Where could she have gone?"

"The Secret Place...?" Sora suggested, thinking aloud. Visions of his venture into said place this afternoon flooded Taiyou's mind. Now he understood-the dark creatures, the overhead maelstrom, the starving power which devoured Riku...

"It's got to be that door," he growled.

"Wait a minute. Riku said something about a door opening," Sora pointed out, being met with Taiyou's wide eyes in response. Had Riku somehow managed to find a way to open that mysterious door? He was the only one on the island...with the exception of the enigmatic figure. Regardless of who unlocked it, with the progression of the storm and Riku's disappearance, it was already too late. First things first-they needed to locate his sister before the same thing could happen to her.

"We've got to get to the Secret Place-now!" Taiyou commanded, and with a determined nod from his companion, they left the safety of the shack.

Countless shadows greeted the duo as they raced toward the ramps to the right. Taiyou hesitated as he ran, nearly petrified at the mere sight of them. Sora stepped ahead defensively, using the giant key in his hand to obliterate each miniature horde maneuvering to lash out at them.

After a heart-pounding moment, they finally reached a giant white pair of doors replacing the curtain of ferns from before. Taiyou hesitated at the sight of it, a heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Taiyou, hurry up!" Sora snapped as he battled, shattering the older boy's reluctance. With a nod, he quickly grabbed the shining handles and yanked the entrance ajar before he could lose his courage again. Taiyou stepped inside swiftly, standing in the threshold to look out at Sora.

"Sora, come on!" he called, beckoning his friend inside. After the younger boy made a break for it, Taiyou jerked the doors closed, losing feeling in his legs from shocked relief. He attempted to catch his breath and catch his dizzy mind up to the situation: Riku was gone, Sora had a giant key, and Kairi was bounding recklessly into danger. Why was this all happening to them? Why did this have to suddenly transform what was a peaceful existence into a chaotic nightmare they could never awaken from?! All he ever dreamed of was living such a tranquil life here on the islands, perhaps taking over the mayoral position someday, watching his little sister and her friends grow. Now everything was bleakly uncertain. Even if they survived all of this, what Kairi claimed earlier was something to give great pause: _"There's something out there-something dark. I can't just stand here and watch it all happen again!"_ If that was true, which seemed very likely at this point, then Kairi had originated from another world. The problem was that she couldn't have been the only person from her world, which birthed the question of where the other inhabitants vanished to. Did they simply disappear from existence, or scatter across a vast sky? Would the same thing happen to the Destiny Islanders? Taiyou trembled at the thought of such an unknown fate.

Giving himself a mental shake, he realized this was definitely not the time to delve into such dark details. He tended to overthink things frequently. Kairi was more important than what this habit could produce.

Turning around, he discovered Sora was not there. Did he go on ahead, perchance? The boy got to his feet and carefully moved forward into the cavern, swallowing his apprehension as best as he could.

That is, until he actually reached the Secret Place.

Taiyou's bespectacled eyes grew wide as a scene mirroring the previous one with Riku played out: Sora with his back to Taiyou, with Kairi standing opposite to the key-bearing boy. However, as soon as Taiyou endeavored a pace onward, the large, impassable wooden door burst open in an unrelenting swing, and a dark smoky mass barreled out. Kairi flew forward, suddenly fading before she could land in Sora's waiting arms. The boy was unable to hold his ground against the impending darkness propelling from the vile door. Before Taiyou could dodge, Sora's body went airborne, smacking right into him and sending them both flying down the tunnel faster than either could think.

With a pain-filled THUD, the two boys crashed to the sandy ground, having been flung outside. Sora rose to his knees to free Taiyou from beneath him, glancing around unsteadily as the world began to shudder. Taiyou, who faced Sora on his back, had his eyes glued to a giant black mass, similar to the shadowy creatures but seemingly evolved, as it ascended into view behind his friend. Sora could also feel the monster's yellow eyes burning into his back, and twisted around to face it, immediately pulling out his Keyblade from thin air as if it were natural.

"Taiyou, go hide somewhere; I'll handle this thing!" Sora ordered, his voice shaky but resolute. The seriousness of his tone left no room for debate, leading Taiyou to simply nod and scramble away in the opposite direction. As he ran, he noticed a terrible truth, the very thing he had been dreading since the evening began: the tempest had overtaken the islands. The storm's epicenter had grown to devour all that could be seen, its red and blue colors mixing into an abysmal horizon closing in. All that remained of their play island, the very thing which brought his friends together, was nothing but a fraction of floating sand running out like an hourglass, with debris from their wooden bridges and ramps strewn around randomly. Only a few trees survived the violent onslaught, but from how things were going, even they would disappear into the horrendous black hole above them, which sent a majority of what was left into the air until it vanished into the darkness.

The older boy found a splintered mess of wood he assumed came from the incomplete gapped bridge in the cove, which his friends raced on often. Diving behind it, he peeked his eyes over the top to view Sora's battle, waiting with bated breath to learn what would become of his friend.

Shame and fear were at war for dominance within Taiyou. He worried for his own safety over Sora's, and could not bring himself to support his battle, no matter how much he wished to. Even though he was the self-proclaimed "protector" of the three who brought him out of his isolated world, Taiyou knew that in reality he was helpless against what dangers lied in wait for them. And now, he would watch as all three met unknown catastrophes, powerless to stop any of it.

Suddenly, a large rumble shook the island remnants, causing Taiyou to grasp the debris for dear life as he shut his eyes tightly. Reopening them revealed the cause: Sora, key in hand, stood victorious as the monster floated into the storm's grasp, pulling it further into a black abyss until it completely vanished.

"Sora!" Taiyou's voice barely managed to carry over the harsh winds as Sora began to leave the ground in a panic. The younger boy's gloved hand latched onto a nearby piece of wreckage just in time to save himself-Taiyou heaved a sigh of relief. However, that second of respite didn't last for long, as Taiyou's predicament had transformed as the funnel's suction grew in intensity. His entire body lifted into the air, alarming him further as control over his movements was limited now. Sparing a glance at Sora, who clung onto his board as much as he could, Taiyou's strength wavered, causing his grip to unintentionally loosen. He couldn't find his voice as his last hope, a singular finger, painfully unplanted itself from his unsteady lifeline.

Taiyou's world became a distant vista as the dark vortex above stole him away from everything he had ever known and into the cruelty of destiny's force.


	3. Destiny 2: Traverse Town, Part 1

Destiny 2: Traverse Town, Part 1

The soothing sound of rushing water echoed in Taiyou's ears as his senses slowly returned to him. Such a familiar thing... _Kairi, Sora, and Riku are leaving today, huh...?_ His thoughts were sighing at the idea. His friends would be gone for a completely uncertain amount of time. Who would keep them healthy and fed? Who would advise them when they were in trouble? Who would...

Who would save _him_?

His blurry eyes shot open. A foreign sight met him as he struggled to identify his surroundings without his missing glasses. Dark blue, moistly cold stone lied beneath him, sending chills through his tired body as the frigid air bounced against blue walls surrounding him. The air smelled of ashy smoke emanating from firewood at unknown locations, with crisp water's aroma filling his nose with a nostalgic feeling of home. Home, where he had been abducted from on that dark night of fate, when everything happened so quickly his mind frenzied attempting to catch up.

"Well, look what the darkness dragged in," a lower-soprano voice declared from above, before a white figure suddenly landed directly in front of Taiyou, startling him into jumping backward against a freezing brick wall.

"S-Stay back!" Taiyou barked, trying to sound as fierce as he was terrified. A laugh echoed throughout the fuzzy world around him.

"Don't you need these glasses back, though?" Her words were taunting, as if knowing she would get her way as her footsteps grew closer. "I guess if you _really_ don't want them, I can just get rid of them."

Taiyou's blurred eyes widened as the girl's figure held thin gray frames to the side, as if preparing to drop them. He moved to his knees in a vain attempt to stop her.

"No! Give them back, please!" he pleaded, his voice practically a whimper. Yet another guffaw consumed the area as his glasses seemed to rush toward him, landing in his unexpecting hands. Quickly, he slid them onto his face, and the world became clear: a blue stoned wall on all four sides of him as he suspected as if it was some city alleyway, all cold from a small water channel embedded in a matching floor a short distance away, with said canal leading outward to the right beyond his line of vision. A night sky rested above him, adorned with twinkling stars to spare. It reminded him of home, a place lost to him now...yet even with such an allusion it felt menacing, as if it would swallow him whole.

"Has anyone ever told you you're fun to mess with?" the girl chuckled, finally reaching a conclusion to her fit of mirth. Uncontrollable black waves of hair sat atop her head, with the rest cut boyishly short-never had he seen such wild or dark hair, as everyone back home had lighter shades. Pale skin was set beneath foreign and impractical clothes involving a white sleeveless dress with dark purple frilled trim flowing above matching shorts, with a long wooden staff housing a glass-like ball on its top harnessed to her back. Yet the most distinguishable feature this stranger possessed was her peculiar eyes: her left eye was as black as a new moon, while the other was pure white. Both stared holes into Taiyou as she appeared to analyze him as well.

"...Who are you?" Taiyou broke the uncomfortable silence as the girl's weird eyes met his.

"Oh, silly me! I didn't introduce myself, did I? My name is Tsuki," she replied, taking a dramatically graceful bow.

"I'm Taiyou." It was only polite to return the introduction. Bizarre noises could be heard around the corner, causing both of them to glance over in that direction.

"Well, Taiyou, you're gonna want this," Tsuki declared, tossing the long staff from her back toward him. His hands fumbled to catch it. "It's time for a fighting lesson."

"F-fighting?!" Taiyou stammered, alarmed. "I can't fight!"

"That's why it's a fighting _lesson_ ," Tsuki reiterated, sounding slightly annoyed. "Now get up and help."

Unsteady from inactivity for longer than he could recount, Taiyou got to his feet, just in time to meet a small band of creatures similar to the ones from Destiny Islands rounding the right corner, each twitching or bouncing oddly. They had taken his world, and he had escaped the destruction by some miracle, but it was a silly assumption to think that would be the end of encountering them.

A cry of alarm spilled from Taiyou's mouth as a slightly taller creature approached him. It bore a silver funnel-type helmet encasing its face, large red claws protruded from its blue hands, along with a heart-shaped emblem imprinted on its chest, outlined in red and filled with black. Such a symbol could be found on the differently-colored flying bell-shaped ones, so perhaps that crest had a particular meaning?

Taiyou, having no prior fighting experience, swung his staff clumsily at the creature, wanting to increase the distance between them but being too frightened to harm it. In turn, it fell to Taiyou's left before springing back to its feet as if the blow never happened. Taiyou pinned himself to the wall, petrified.

"You've gotta be kidding..." Tsuki, who was bashing two airborne monsters with two sharp silver daggers, rolled her eyes and turned to face him, still on guard. "Don't tell me that's all you've got? You're not gonna last long if you keep giving up before you even try! What you have in your hands is a magic staff, used to cast spells."

"Magic doesn't exist," Taiyou refuted with a quivering voice. Despite everything that had happened, there had to be some logical explanation besides magic. Tsuki began to laugh.

"Man, you are a riot! An idiot, but a riot," she chortled. "Channel your energy into the staff. Hmm...think 'fire'. Fire's good for a beginner."

"But I really-" Taiyou's protest was cut short.

"Do you want to fall prey to these goons all because you refuse to fight against it?"

Taiyou began to feel himself tremble. He simply wanted to find his trio of friends before anything worse could happen to them, but he would be forced to discard his personal morals in order to do so. Was he truly prepared to fight?

Kairi, the little sister he never asked for but came to care for and protect.

Sora, the innocently reckless boy who seemed to connect his friends together.

Riku, the one who tried to act mature and cool but was far more curious than the others combined.

To save these precious three he had come to see as close family, he would have to be ready. Their smiles and sunny days dreaming and adventuring, building rafts and making the most of only having the ability to dream bigger than the world they were trapped on, were all far more important than Taiyou.

Before fear could cause his resolve to falter, Taiyou finally acquiesced. "Please teach me."

* * *

After a brief tutorial, Taiyou pointed the staff toward a creature skipping his direction. With a deep breath and shaky hand, he shouted, "Fire!"

The small orb at the staff's tip began glowing a deep red before shooting a sphere of flame forward. A tiny explosion ensued as it rammed into the target monster, causing it to vanish in black fragments into the night air before fading entirely.

"Good! Now keep that up, but watch yourself-you don't want to run out of energy before the fight's done." Tsuki's praise and warning were met with an apprehensive nod from Taiyou.

The duo continued their battle against their attackers relentlessly until each had been slain and disappeared. The boy fell to his knees, still grasping the staff tightly.

"This is just too much..." he groaned to himself, feeling quite drained of energy from everything that had occurred.

"You did well," Tsuki's voice chimed in as she approached. "But I told you not to use too much magic, or else this is how you'll end up. If you're going to survive, you're gonna have to get stronger."

"What _are_ those things, anyway?" Taiyou asked, slightly out of breath. Tsuki stepped over to stand in front of him, standing with her hands on her hips.

"Those creatures are called the Heartless. There are many different kinds scattered across the worlds, just as you and your friends have been."

This statement gave the boy pause. Cautiously, he looked up at her face, which was shadowed by the lack of light. Her white eye resembled a full moon as it seemed to emit a small glow.

"I didn't say a word about my friends." At this, the girl reciprocated his prudence for a silent moment, their gazes locked in analytic battle. Suddenly, her usual look of nonchalance returned in the form of a smile across her face.

"Ah, details, details!" she snickered, waving a hand around as if swatting away the problem. "We need to get you someplace safe for now, where there are people who can actually help you out."

It was clear she didn't wish to disclose any other information, and it was most likely safer that way, so Taiyou withheld any other inquiries for a better time. Still guarded, Taiyou nodded. "Lead the way."

"All right, now we're getting somewhere! The best place to go would be the First District; everyone gathers there because few Heartless ever show up in that area. However, since even the quickest path we can go is teeming with them, you're gonna get some extra practice fighting along the way."

"Wonderful," Taiyou grumbled dryly, very unhappy to be battling more than he wished to.

"There's a doorway to the Second District just around the corner ahead. From there, we go up a staircase, follow the path, and BAM! We go through the door, and we'll be there," Tsuki advised, pointing to the area beyond his vision. "Just follow me, 'kay?"

Following the girl and her instructions, Taiyou scuffled with several small battalions of "Heartless" along their course. Using magic was very exhausting, but it also grew easier as he adjusted to this strange power from nowhere. And just as Tsuki had stated, the duo reached a massive pair of wooden doors. Hesitantly, as if to prepare himself for anything ahead, Taiyou opened said doors...

...and was met with a brighter, more welcoming town. Lanterns lit the brown bricks along miniature roads and alleys. The night sky didn't feel as foreboding in such a dazzling area, making Taiyou feel slightly more secure. He could hardly believe it was the same world.

"Welcome to the First District of Traverse Town, a world where those who have lost their homes to the darkness and Heartless usually wind up," Tsuki declared, stepping ahead and grandly sweeping her arm across as if showcasing something spectacular. "You're bound to find someone here who can lead you on the right path to finding what you're looking for. And now is where we say bye-bye for now."

The boy felt a mixture of fear for suddenly being on his own, and relief for finally ridding himself of this stranger.

"Thank you for helping me," Taiyou murmured, turning to her and giving a slight bow. He took the wooden staff into his hands and held it out for her to take. "I should probably return this to you."

She seemed to study him yet again, as if this was a peculiar or unexpected action. "Nah, you keep it. It was for you, anywho."

Taiyou tensed up at this, though refused to display any surprise. Did she know he would arrive here? How did this girl know him? Exactly how much did she know? Just the thought was alarming.

"Where will you go now?" was all he could think to say in order to change the uncomfortable subject.

"I'll be here and there. Don't worry, _Taiyou_ ," she replied, with a teasing tone emphasized at his name. "Go on, now, and good luck!"

Tsuki turned Taiyou away from her, pushing him forward. With a cry of surprise, he stumbled to catch himself. Once his balance was regained, he twisted around quickly to scold the girl, but found she was gone, silently and without any traces.

"Please don't tell me I just imagined her in my shock," Taiyou mumbled to himself. He glanced around, hoping to perchance gain some idea of where she might be. She had vanished the same way the cloaked stranger on the island had. Were they somehow connected...?

Taiyou gave himself a mental shake; this was definitely not the time to dwell on such matters. Kairi, Sora, and Riku were all out there, scattered due to the darkness, and he was determined to find them. Where he would begin was the question.

His first stop was a door directly ahead of him, next to a ledge with a view he was currently not concerned with under these circumstances. Finding the door locked, he sat on the tall ledge and slid down, thinking if Sora or Riku were here they would simply be able to leap off with reckless abandon. Thinking about it strengthened his resolve further-he _had_ to find them.

On his right was another door. Entering, he found a staircase leading down into a small shop with random and general goods lining shelves behind a long counter. Posters and advertisements painted the walls around the room, and at center were three children...or should he say _ducklings_. Each wore a shirt and matching cap, one blue, red, and green. It certainly wasn't the most bizarre thing he'd seen thus far, so he withheld any surprise so he could interrogate the trio.

As it turned out, theirs was a shop to find items such as potions for healing or weapons. A handy place to have for emergencies, Taiyou noted. However, he received little else in terms of relevant information.

Bidding them farewell, Taiyou entered the next shop, a short distance from the previous doorway and to the left. Above said door sat the title of "Accessory Shop" in bold neon yellow. Such a homey feel the interior gave! A huge red-bricked fireplace crackled with life as a flame burned within to the immediate right of the entrance. A small black sofa sat across the right corner, with a table ottoman in front of it. A long display case was built into the back wall, and an oblong glass display table separated the living area from a rather long green counter. Behind said counter stood a rough-looking man, with spiked blonde hair under a pair of goggles, similar to ones Taiyou wore upon his own scalp. The man bore stubble upon his chin, and a toothpick protruding over his lips. Muscles could be seen beneath his tight white t-shirt and thick orange waistband. He seemed to be focused on something other than a potential customer walking in. Taiyou decided this was not a man to be rude to, if his attitude was as threatening as his appearance.

"Um...excuse me," Taiyou piped up, trying not to be too loud. The man's blue eyes were on him in an instant.

"Hey, welcome." His gruff voice carried in the small shop. "Aw, kid, you look a little lost. That's another one today." He seemed nice enough.

Taiyou walked briskly to the counter, still wary enough to keep a distance. "There was someone like me here?"

"Yeah, there was a kid earlier today, actin' all lost and looking for some friends he'd been separated from. Name was Sora," the man answered before taking a step back as Taiyou leapt forward and slammed his hands on the counter, pushing all formalities aside in his enthusiasm. Could he already have a lead on his friends?

"Sora was here?! Where did he go?"

"Hey, kid, don't get overexcited. He just came in a while ago to say goodbye for now; apparently, he found a way to find who he was lookin' for."

"So I may be able to still catch him," Taiyou muttered to himself. His voice stammered in embarrassment as he raised it so the man could hear. "T-thank you very much, sir-"

"Not 'sir'. The name's Cid. And you be careful out there, kid," the man interrupted, swiping his thumb across the tip of his nose in a quick action. This man certainly wasn't as bad as Taiyou originally thought.

"It's not 'kid'; it's Taiyou," the boy returned Cid's good-humored tone as he waved, called out his thanks once more, and dashed out the door.

As soon as the doors slammed closed, Taiyou noticed ahead of him a parting scene. Three people-one man and two women-all stood in a line facing away from him as they saw off three others: a duck wearing a blue shirt and hat covered in what looked like zippers, a bipedal dog with a green and yellow getup, and one who was very unmistakable with his brown spiky hair and giant key in his hand. Before Taiyou could even move, however, the latter trio began running toward a giant door which had been resting behind them.

"Wait!" the boy shouted desperately, stumbling down the staircase in front of him in an attempt to catch up. Alas, his voice had gone unheard by Sora and his companions as they disappeared behind the door. Frantic, he aimed for a gap between the man and women, dashing through to get to Sora's exit...

...but was snatched by the back of his shirt collar, yanking him back with alarming momentum.

"It's dangerous to go that way," the man scolded him, pulling him back to stand in the previous gap.

"I think he's new around here, Squall," the shorter woman noted, stepping around to analyze Taiyou's face, which had suddenly grown hot at such attention.

"It's Leon," the man corrected with an annoyed tone, as if he had given this same correction before.

"Anyhow, that's a world exit, and unless you've got a ship, you're not going anywhere," the shorter woman clarified, disregarding her companion's words.

"A ship? World exit?" Taiyou mumbled to himself, attempting to gather his thoughts. Then he spoke up. "Can you tell me where Sora was heading? It's urgent that I find him."

"Sora?" the taller woman, with a gently polite voice, echoed, looking to her friends. "Perhaps some introductions are in order?"

The boy felt his face redden more. Who was he to demand things of these people when he had yet to introduce himself? He was sheepish as he mentally scolded his rude behavior.

"I'm Taiyou, a friend of Sora's who got separated from him a short while ago. I'm trying to find my little sister Kairi and our friends Sora and Riku. Anything you can tell me would be a great help."

"My name is Aerith," smiled the taller woman.

"I'm the great ninja Yuffie!" exclaimed the shorter woman.

"The name's Leon-" the man murmured, when from the left came a dark blue streak, bumping Taiyou slightly out of the way as it stood in front of the trio. The islander had to quickly catch his balance before he could hit the ground.

"You! You're Leon, aren't you?" the stranger shouted, obviously excited and exasperated. Taiyou studied him for a moment: snowy white hair with longer strands tied in front of his ears, bangs swept on either side of his face. His skin was rather pale, almost as much as Tsuki's, but hidden mostly beneath a sky blue turtleneck with an ocean blue jacket layering above it. Thick black pants ended with shin-high gray boots. From all of this, Taiyou gathered this boy must have been dressed for far colder and/or snowier climates than the island native had ever experienced.

"Depends on who's asking." Leon's curt reply seemed to irritate the boy, who tensed up and stamped one foot on the ground.

"My name is Kori, fourth in line to my kingdom's throne. I am positive my father sent word ahead!" he declared through gritted teeth.

"Oh, so you're that spoiled brat," Leon muttered.

"W-What did you say?! I am royalty! Know your place!" Kori spat, fury in his pale blue eyes. Taiyou felt a chill run up his spine from this sudden tension.

"Outside of your fortress, you're no better than a spoiled kid asking for help, _Your Highness_ ," Leon retorted, emphasizing the boy's title as if mocking it. "You're the one who needs to know his place, not me. I wouldn't be surprised if your father sent you out here with that in mind."

Kori opened his mouth to counter, but no words would break through, so all he could do was stammer.

"Anyway, it looks like both of you are after the same information, give or take, so we might as well just explain it at the same time," Yuffie interjected in hopes of relieving such tension between their group.

Aerith clapped her hands together in agreement. "That's a wonderful idea! We can use the little cafe in front of the item shop to talk." She gestured behind her to a brick establishment built into the city's walls, holding a small balcony above it. Four tables holding burning candles rested beneath this brick awning, each with at least two fancy chairs huddled around them. It appeared to be an appropriate meeting place, as no one seemed to crowd around it despite what one might expect of a cafe in a safe haven.

"Then let's go," Leon acquiesced, glancing at Taiyou and Kori, the two boys who both happened to have intertwining objectives. Perhaps he could work something out between them.

* * *

"And that's about it," Yuffie concluded, leaning back in her chair with an arm slung behind the back.

"That's a lot to process," Taiyou murmured, slightly confused.

"To summarize-just so I get it all: some idiot named Ansem exploited the darkness in everyone's hearts and turned them into creatures called Heartless. He left behind a bunch of reports about it that just happened to scatter across many worlds, with no leads as to where they might've wound up." Kori crossed his arms as he reviewed the most important points from their conversation as he sat at the main table across from Yuffie and Aerith.

"That's right," the taller woman confirmed. Taiyou leaned forward in his own chair at an adjacent table.

"And Sora just happened to get stuck with a weapon the Heartless not only fear but also are drawn to," he put in, trying to keep his voice from sounding as angry as he was. Why them? So the keyblade and everything that had happened was merely a coincidence? They all had such a peaceful existence, with no outside interaction aside from Kairi's arrival all those years ago...perhaps her appearance on the island was no simple happenstance as he originally thought. Could it possibly be linked to Sora's ability to wield the oversized key, that door from the Secret Place where Kairi spent her final known moments, Riku's obsession with other worlds, and the darkness invading, as if seeking something upon the island...?

Taiyou shook his head, reprimanding himself for going on such a tangent when all those events were no longer what mattered.

"So what do you plan to do?" Leon piped in from his place against the wall behind Yuffie, arms crossed over his chest. As Taiyou opened his mouth to respond, Kori interpolated.

"I'm going to fulfill my mission and help thwart the darkness!" His confidence was not contagious.

"Yeah...good luck with that," Yuffie halfheartedly told him. Aerith's green eyes focused on Taiyou's.

"What about you, Taiyou?" she gently inquired, a supportive smile painting her lips.

Honestly? Taiyou had to strongly repress his urge to duck under a table in hiding and await any updates from this group about his friends' whereabouts as new information arose. Had he been at home, and Sora, Kairi, and Riku's adventure on their raft unfolded as planned, he would be doing nearly that exact thing. It didn't sound so bad, as his plan never changed...

...but he _wasn't_ at home. He was on this unknown world of Traverse Town, trying to retrieve scattered pieces of his broken island. It was as though his friends had set sail, but Taiyou had been unwillingly stolen out to sea by the restless tide, with no island in sight. His only hope was the small raft getting further from his grasp, lest he be dragged beneath chilling waves into an abyss of darkness.

 _"Just sitting here won't change a thing."_

Riku uttered those words once as he stared out at the sunset over the horizon. Taiyou now understood those words; his friends were out there somewhere, and waiting around as others were putting their lives on the line for their cause was not how he was raised by his political parents. His choice was clear now: he had to fight with all he had to get to that raft in the distance and bring his little family home, or drown in darkness trying. And with the magic Tsuki taught him, he wasn't completely defenseless anymore.

It was then he realized he truly despised being left behind.

"I want to find my sister and friends, no matter what," Taiyou proclaimed with a strong likeness to his father's tenacity.

Yuffie, Aerith, and Leon all gave a smile of approval to Taiyou.

"Well, it looks like we can work something out between you two," Leon stated, glancing between Kori and Taiyou.

"Not a chance! It's _my_ gummi ship, and I'm _not_ going to bring some scrawny guy who can't hold his own in a fight!" the icy boy seethed, standing up and pointing at the islander with his left hand. In his right hand, a small cubical silver key dangled from a red rectangle held between his index and middle gloved fingers. It almost looked like a toy. It seemed as though he only had it out to show off his possessiveness of his traveling vessel, which certainly didn't impress the islander.

"I-I can fight! I know a little magic," Taiyou chimed in defensively. Kori folded his arms across his chest and rolled his eyes.

"Aw, you know a _little_ magic!" he sneered. "You should just stay here and practice, then. Maybe I'll consider taking you along once I know you aren't a liability!" His jeering laughter echoed around the cafe as Leon took a step off of the wall.

"That's not a bad idea," he agreed, causing everyone to look over at him. "Taiyou, determination is one thing, but without proper training, you're as good as a burden. With that said, you can train with one of the best sorcerers we know, learn some new things that will help you on your journey. However..."

Yuffie, who had caught on, quickly snatched the squared key from Kori's hand in a swift movement, much to the displeasure of the royal.

"I demand you return that to me at once!" he snapped, attempting to jump up and reclaim his stolen property, but the proclaimed ninja kept it held higher than the prince could reach.

"Your father has entrusted you to me, and from the look of things, you're going to wind up in major trouble you can't _demand_ your way out of. Taiyou needs a ship to go to other worlds, and you're going to provide it." Leon's retort gave the fuming boy pause.

"So you're...what, grounding me here? All because some little wimp needs a ride? You must be joking," he insisted, unable to believe the older man's words. Yuffie stepped in this time.

"Leon doesn't joke like that. And it's not that bad-you can learn a little patience and practice too. It's your first time away from home as well, isn't it?" This caught the boy off guard.

"F-fine," Kori conceded, a blush on his face which made the answer to her question quite clear.

Taiyou glanced around at the strangers in front of him. Did they really have such confidence in him which he generally lacked?

"Good-now that everyone's on the same page, we should let you know about the person you'll be meeting and training with," Aerith inserted, clapping her hands together decidedly.

"His name is Merlin, and he's a really powerful wizard. As long as you're serious about learning from him, you shouldn't have any problems!" Yuffie's short explanation wasn't very much to go on, but the trio didn't seem to want to add anything more to this mysterious man's description.

"So it's probably some burnt-out old guy," grumbled Kori. Taiyou glared at him for such a rude interjection.

"How do we find him?" the islander inquired politely, hoping doing so might actually produce results compared to Kori's bizarre method of obtaining information.

"You see that huge door over there?" Leon nodded in the direction as Yuffie pointed left of the world exit gates. "That door leads to the third district."

"Just go straight through that door and keep going down the dark alley toward a door with a weird flame symbol on it. All you hafta do is use a fire spell on the symbol, and you're in. But be careful of all the Heartless swarming along the way. That district is small, so it's easy to get cornered if you're not careful," Yuffie explained further.

"Thank you for the information," Taiyou stated, standing and bowing slightly.

"It's no trouble. And if you have any problems along the way, you can always come talk to us," Aerith invited, her genuine invitation sending a warm feeling through Taiyou. It reminded him of his mother. He had not seen such kindness toward strangers since his family took in Kairi, as their community was more self-interested than welcoming. This world was one where people were shipped off to if their home world fell into darkness, and thusly these three, those boys in the item shop, and Cid were no exceptions. Yet even in the face of such tragedy they could smile and welcome others wholeheartedly, instead of with an unrivaled bitterness as their own interpretations of happiness were shattered, as Taiyou would have expected.

"I honestly appreciate everything you've done for me-and for Sora, too. He's strong, but he's still far from not needing guidance from time to time."

"You've got that right," Leon murmured from the wall, earning a small chuckle from Yuffie in agreement.

"I just hope this is helpful as your first step to reuniting," Aerith declared, her smile unparalleled.

"Hey, are we done getting mushy, 'cause the darkness isn't going to stop pushing forward just because you aren't affected by it at the moment," Kori interjected, annoyed.

"All right. Let's go then." Taiyou got to his feet and gave a slight nod in thanks to the trio before following behind a rather moody prince who had already distanced himself from them.

Once he had caught up to him, Taiyou was faced with an awkward atmosphere. They were alone now-just the two of them until they could reach their soon-to-be mentor. He didn't want it to feel so uncomfortable between them, given the prospect of how stuck they were to each other, but before he could even open his mouth to try and ease the tension, Kori spoke up.

"My first big assignment and what happens? I have to waste my time babysitting."

"I'm sorry-" Taiyou tried to apologize just to be halted by the prince, who twisted around to face him.

"Instead of squandering your time away apologizing, just use that time to get better, will you? That'd be a heck of a lot more useful to both of us."

Taiyou nodded in agreement, mustering some confidence to keep his voice from shaking. "I'll do my best."

With a sideways glance, Kori scoffed, obviously agitated. The islander hoped it wouldn't always be this way with the ice prince.


End file.
